Five Minutes To Midnight

by C. B. Stagg

  “What do you mean?” I was confused. He settled in beside me, putting a temporary end to the fun. I whined.

  “I want to tell you a bedtime story.”

  I pouted. “But I don’t want to go to bed yet.”

  “Don’t worry. This night is nowhere near over.”

  I nodded, and we snuggled under the covers—my head on my husband’s muscular chest, his strong heartbeat background music—while he told his tale.

  “Once upon a time, I met a few buddies out at the bar. We were celebrating my birthday, but I didn’t care about becoming legal. It was just a number to me, and I’d been drinking for years. I planned to have a beer or two, then go home. But when I glanced over at our formerly empty table, the most magnificent creature was now sitting there. One look and I was sunk. I stood at the bar watching her for the better part of half an hour, just working up the nerve to talk to her.”

  Christian wrapped me tighter in his arms. The smell of his bare skin mixed with his recollection of that night sparked memories I thought I’d lost long ago.

  “Once we started talking, and I saw that she was everything I thought she would be and more, I knew I had to get her alone.”

  “I don’t understand, though.” I traced the soft lines of his chest muscles with my finger, trailing through the blond hair there. “We hardly talked. How could you possibly know me in that short of time?”

  “Shh, story time isn’t over yet. But to answer your question, I don’t know.” He shook his head, lost in his memories of that night. “I’d always felt like a piece of me was missing. Then I saw her from across the bar and automatically thought, That’s my piece! Right there, that’s the one!”

  “Trust me, I know how crazy it sounds, but it’s true. That night, the night we met, I was taking you outside so I could smoke, but you said you were allergic to smoke, remember?”

  I nodded. “I remember. You threw the pack of cigarettes in the trash.”

  “And that was the last pack I ever bought.”

  My eyes widened. “Why?”

  “It was a simple decision. There was no way I was going to let a pesky nicotine addiction come between me and the one person who made me feel whole and real.”

  “Well, it didn’t. Obviously. But what about the next day?”

  “What about it? You were allergic, so that was it for me. I was done.”

  I searched his face for any trace of mirth, pleased at finding none. “Isn’t that a pretty major life decision to make for a one-night stand?”

  He shook his head, shifting onto his side, his mouth poised over mine. “Katy,” he breathed, sending chills through my body, “you were never just a one-night stand. Not to me.”

  I closed the gap between us, and we devoured each other in the best of ways. The breeze off the ocean made the sheer white curtains dance as it blew through our bedroom windows. Slowly, the sun started to sink into the water, casting a warm glow throughout the room. Cloaked in near darkness, waves crashing in the distance, we spent our first night as husband and wife learning a new dance all our own. It was a foreign one, yet familiar in ways… full of passion, love, and the promise of a lifetime laid before us.

  Chapter 30

  Christian

  THE ROAD TO TRANSPLANT DAY, while arduous, was nothing compared to the roller coaster of emotions that began the second the alarm went off at five a.m. the morning of the surgeries. I rolled over instinctively to snooze the blaring siren, but finding myself alone in bed shook me awake.

  After checking a few obvious places, I finally found Katy on the deck in the rocking chair, part of a set we’d been given as a housewarming present the weekend before from my family. I heard the tinkle of her laughter through the screen door, only then seeing the little bundle in her arms. I stood back, committing the moment to memory: my beautiful wife—one of the strongest and most resilient people I knew—rocking our miracle daughter… the other strongest and most resilient person I knew. What had I done in my life to deserve the love of these two? It’s a question I asked myself time and time again, never finding a suitable answer.

  They spoke in whispers, or at least what Waverly considered whispers. They both giggled every so often at something the other said. We all knew today marked a new beginning for our little family. While it would be easy to let the fears and unknowns weigh me down, I instead decided to join my girls—the two people I loved most in the world—as we embarked on a day we would never forget.

  Once Waverly and I were fully prepped for our respective surgeries, visitors were allowed to come in. With only an hour until blastoff, the nurse in charge of our surgery prep said we could have twenty minutes of visiting time. We pushed our beds close together so Waverly and I could hold hands, which was more of a comfort to me than to my little girl. She was warrior brave, my daughter. Katy nervously floated between us, not able to find a comfortable landing spot.

  First in were my parents, then Katy’s parents, followed closely by Cara Jo and Roy. “Oh, come here, sweet girl,” my mother called, reaching out to Waverly.

  “No way, CC! I can’t stand up in this gown or everyone will see my hiney. And don’t ask my dad to stand up or you’ll see his too!” She shivered, wrinkling her face like she’d just smelled a skunk. In thirty seconds, my daughter had transformed our nervous little room into a pre-op party.

  After spending adequate time fussing over their granddaughter, my parents came to fuss over me. “We’re so proud of you, Christian.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” I chuckled when she kissed my forehead. I swear she still saw me as a child. “But you know you would have done the same thing.”

  “I actually did. I went to get tested, but one of my kidneys doesn’t work as well as the other. It’s no big deal, but to be a donor, both need to be in good order. Dad did, too, but,” she looked around with shifty eyes and whispered, “they told him he was too old.” She laughed, and I did too, drawing some odd looks from others in the room.

  “When did you do that?”

  “Right after Christmas.” She was fiddling with my blanket, but I calmed her hands, which made her look at me.

  “How long have you known she was mine?”

  She shook her head, cupping my face. “I started suspecting she was yours just a few hours before you confirmed it. But I was drawn to her from the day we met in a way I could never understand, much less explain. But, you don’t have to be related to someone to be a living donor. I was more than willing to do whatever it took to make Waverly better, for her and for her mother.”

  “You love them a lot, don’t you?”

  She nodded, tears sliding down her cheeks. “I love them like they’re my own. I think I always have. And now they are.”

  With a squeeze from Mom, another hug from Dad, and well-wishes from the rest of our hodgepodge family, the nurse ushered them to a waiting room.

  Dr. Fitz, head of the transplant team, came in to visit with Katy, Waverly, and me. “Mr. Clark, we’re getting ready to take you back, but I wanted to go over everything one more time.” I nodded, and Katy snuggled into the bed with Waverly, reaching over her to grab my hand.

  “We expect your surgery to be about five hours.” He shifted his gaze. “Mrs. Clark, your daughter’s surgery will be a little longer. The surgeons will have to carefully connect the major vessels of the kidney to vessels in the pelvis, as well as the ureter, which naturally takes more time. We will keep you and your family updated on the progress of each surgery, and when they’re both in recovery, I’ll come get you so you can see them.”

  “Will they be in recovery together?”

  “Usually not, but I’ve arranged a semi-private recovery room where they can be side by side and you can be between them both.” The man’s kind smile and forethought put me at ease.

  “So, whose surgeon are you? Waverly’s or Christian’s?”

  “Ah, great question. I’ll be overseeing both surgeries, but I’ll spend most of my time with this young lady right here.” He
ruffled Waverly’s hair, but her weak smile set me on edge. My daughter was unshakable, yet it was clear she was shaken.

  “Doctor, can you give me a few minutes with my family, please?”

  “Of course. I’ll be back soon for you, Mr. Clark.”

  His words were lost on me. All my attention was directed toward my daughter. “Hey,” I asked, shimmying my way into her bed. “What’s on your mind, Little Fish? I’ve never seen you like this before.” I wrapped my arms around her and felt her shoulders shake as she started to cry.

  “Sweetie, can you tell us what’s wrong?” Katy was rubbing Waverly’s back through her little gown, a matching miniature of the one I was wearing.

  “I’m scared.”

  Her head rested on my shoulder, putting her sweet-smelling blonde curls right in my face. I wasn’t sure I would ever get sick of having this little girl curled around me, in good times or in bad. I made eye contact with Katy over Waverly’s head, letting her know that I had this.

  “Me, too.”

  She slowly craned her head up to look at me. “You are?”

  I nodded. “Yep. And you know what? It would be weird if we weren’t scared. They’re about to cut me open and take out my kidney.”

  She giggled. “Yeah, then they’re gonna put it in me.”

  I nodded and squeezed her to me. “There’s no one I’d rather give it to than you.”

  “But won’t it hurt?” Her voice was getting a little

  more life in it.

  “Maybe a little, but don’t worry about that. Mom

  and I will help make sure you don’t feel any pain as you heal.”

  She shook her head. “No Daddy, won’t it hurt you?”

  My breath caught in my chest. She was the one about to undergo a life-changing operation, and yet she was worried about me. “Nah, I’m a dad. I’m tough.” I poked at her ribs and got the giggles I was looking for. Music to my ears. “I love you, sweet girl.”

  “I love you, too, Daddy.”

  I clung to her a few more seconds, but I knew my time was almost up. My wife paced the room, pretending to smooth out the blanket at the foot of my bed, before doing the same to Waverly’s. The crease between her brows had been present since we walked in the doors and if I were to look, I was positive I’d see red-rimmed nail beds. She always picked at her cuticles when she was nervous. It seemed I needed to put some of her fears to rest as well.

  I grabbed the attention of the nurse who had been in and out of the room and, in some unspoken parent language, was able to convey my need for an extra set of hands. The older woman quickly and efficiently transferred Waverly back to her assigned bed, to get her situated, leaving an empty space beside me.

  While she was occupied, I patted the mattress and Katy scooted by my side, her solid wall of strength starting to crumble before my eyes. I took her into my arms, settling her into the crook of my arm.

  “I’m scared, too, Christian.” It was the first time she’d voiced concerns. Up to this point, she’d been very businesslike about it all.

  “Of course you are… we all are… but I believe we are right where we are supposed to be and doing exactly what we’re supposed to be doing. I’m going to give our daughter a kidney, and that’s going to save her life. Then we’ll go to our cottage by the sea and live a wonderful life together.” I kissed her temple. “What’s scary about that?”

  “Promise me something.”

  “Anything, my love. Anything.”

  “Promise me nothing will happen to either of you.”

  I squeezed my eyes closed. The twenty-three-year-old woman in my arms had already endured so much pain and heartbreak in her short life. Of course she was terrified of more. And she was probably in the worst position of all of us. Waverly and I would be knocked out for the next several hours, while Katy could do nothing but sit and wait for the doctors to tell her what’s happening. She wasn’t used to giving up all that control.

  I pulled her back to look into her beautiful eyes. “I have found a love with you I didn’t even know existed. You have given me the greatest gift in our daughter. There is no way our journey ends here. This is just the beginning. So go out there and let our families care for you and pray for you. Drink bad coffee, read a good book, and know that everything will be exactly as it should be.”

  Her tears flowed freely, but she smiled, wiping her face. “I love you. Those words seem so simple, but they’re all I know to say. I love you, I appreciate you, I admire you, and I am so happy you’re mine.”

  A growl erupted a few feet away. “Stop. Kissing.” Waverly looked up at the nurse, who’d been taking her vitals. “They do this, like, all the time. It’s gross.”

  The nurse laughed. “Be glad, sweetie. There’s nothing better for a child than to be raised by two parents who love each other like your mom and dad do.” She patted Wave’s leg, and I was pretty sure I heard my daughter’s eyes roll, but I was too busy memorizing the smell of my wife’s hair.

  “Well, are we ready to get this party started?” Dr. Fitz was back, and it was my turn to go.

  “You go take care of our daughter, and I’ll see you in a few hours.” As a few staff members started to roll me out of the prep room, I had to let go of my wife’s hand. I blew her a kiss and held her gaze as long as I could.

  “Okay, Christian, I’m going to start adding the medicine into your IV. I want you to start counting back from one hundred.”

  “One hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-seven… ”

  Chapter 31

  Kaitlin

  WAVERLY WAS WHEELED OUT no more than ten minutes after Christian. Watching the two halves of my heart roll away and into the hands of strangers left me with an emptiness I’d never known before. While the logical part of my brain knew the events of the day were miracles in their truest form, the emotional part screamed, asking why this had to happen. Why couldn’t things ever be simple?

  Roy had left to open the diner, and my parents went to fetch breakfast, knowing we had a few hours before we’d get news. I was grateful for the peace and quiet. We had our own waiting room, so I curled up on the sofa, opened my bag and pulled out my book, hoping to read away what was sure to be an endless wait. But before I even got it out, Cara Jo came in and sat beside me.

  “You can go, you know? I don’t need a babysitter.”

  “Nah, I haven’t been able to get you alone for a while. I miss our talks.”

  I grabbed her hands, noticing a slight tremble. “I miss you, too, old woman.”

  “I think there’s something we need to talk about.”

  “Does this have anything to do with all the death glares you and my father have been exchanging? Because look, I know your opinion of him is low, but I’m trying to start fresh and it would help me a lot if both of my families got along.”

  She sighed and sat up straighter on the couch beside me. “I grew up with your father.”

  “What?” I had no other words. “Just… Wait, what?”

  “In Longview. We went to high school together. I was great friends with his sister, your aunt.”

  “Oh.” My aunt. The woman who, by her actions, ruined my relationship with my father. “I know nothing about her, only that he hated her. I assumed she got pregnant, but—”

  “She did. She was raped, and her family disowned her. Hoping to get back into their good graces, she got an illegal abortion. It left her unable to have children.”

  The tears slipping down my face startled me. “What happened to her?” My heart was breaking for this woman I’d never met.

  She became an attorney. She worked tirelessly for victims of sexual abuse. She poured her whole life into saving women just like her.”

  Wow.

  “Where is she now?”

  Cara Jo wiped at the tear tracks on her wrinkled face. “She’s gone. I didn’t know what I would do when I lost her. She was my best friend, my sister.” She grabbed a paper towel from over the sink and mopped up her face a li
ttle more.

  “The thing is, she knew her death would shatter me. She always said that, though I may not see her, I would always be in the sight of angels. She promised to watch over me. She died six years ago this spring. I was okay at first, but her passing became harder as time passed. By August, I’d hit the bottom. Her absence became this hole, and I was losing myself in its darkness. Then the darndest thing happened.” Her eyes lost their cloudiness, and her sparkle was coming back.

  “What happened?”

  She smiled. “You. You happened. Anne sent me you.”

  When I was alone again, I fished the abandoned book from my bag. Stuck on the front was a yellow Post-it note.

  While you are waiting, God is working. I love you! C.

  It was true, Cara Jo had just proven that. He was always working. God had spent five years working on Christian, creating the man Waverly and I needed him to be. I could certainly allow Him a few more hours to heal my baby and make my family healthy again.

  If time passes slowly for those who wait, yet quickly for those who are scared… then I was suspended in the terrifying chasm between the two. I’d watch the clock, and the hands would refuse to move. Then I’d close my eyes for just a second, and an hour would have passed.

  People came, and people went. Cara Jo and Roy had to open the diner, but one or the other popped in a few times. My father had to speak at a funeral service. And of course, my mom went with him, always the dutiful wife,. But they said they’d be back at some point. Claire and Kyle stayed, but each had brought their own entertainment, so the wait was silent and I preferred it that way.

  “Mrs. Clark?”

  My head popped up. “Yes?” I said at the same moment Claire also answered, causing both of us to giggle.

  “Oh, I’m looking for Kaitlin Clark. Christian Clark’s wife?”

  I stood and quickly approached the younger man dressed in green scrubs, the color only worn by medical personnel. “That’s me.”